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AUto NATURAL

Composted cars are coming

Imagine metal junkyards—the ugly graveyards of rusting cars and trucks—magically transformed into compost centers. The idea of cars being turned into organic matter, although seemingly impossible, is really not all that far-fetched. Automakers and scientists are teaming up to develop and employ new bio plastics made from sugar cane, sweet potatoes, elephant grass, soy beans, bananas, bamboo, and other plant matter. Lasting a minimum of 14 years, this green plastic is as tough and durable as its petroleum-based cousin when in use, but is actually vastly superior during the manufacturing process and once the car is retired.

Bio-Plastics

Bio-plastic requires less fuel for production than similar petroleum-based materials. Once the life of a vehicle made with bio-plastic is over, it can be added to a compost heap and morphed into fertilizer within only a few months. This plastic can only break down in the presence of concentrated levels of bacteria, like those found in a compost pile. So fear not, decomposing will not start in the garage.

Several carmakers are already working with bio plastics. Toyota set up a biotechnology division in 1998 and is currently considering building a plant devoted to bio-plastics in 2007. Additionally, Toyota is currently using bio-plastic for the floor mats and spare tire cover in the Prius and the Raum, a vehicle currently sold only in Japan. The automaker is betting on a billion dollar business by 2020 for Toyota Eco Plastic.

From the Ground Up

But Toyota is not the first automaker to look to plants for auto parts. Henry Ford, in 1940, wanted to "grow automobiles from the soil." He developed an experimental car made of resin-stiffened hemp fiber, which resisted dents even better than steel. Ford Motor Company is resurrecting that dream in a collaborative venture with the University of Toronto where scientists are working on creating biomaterials made of hemp to replace sheetmetal and fiberglass. These natural fibers could replace fiberglass as reinforcements in sheet molding compounds in body panels, grille openings, and other components. Natural fibers are less expensive than glass fibers, and they eliminate respiratory problems many workers experience from working with fiberglass. Glass is also very abrasive and the natural fibers would be kinder to machinery thus lowering maintenance costs on tooling.

Ford technicians are also developing foam for seats and head restraints made from soybeans. In early attempts, this foam smelled like vegetable oil, but further work in the lab eventually produced a fresh-cut flower scent. Ford's Concept Model U (pictured) utilizes soy-based seating foam and fiberglass in the tailgate as well as a textile fiber derived from corn and other starches in the canvas roof and carpet mats.

Got Fiber?

DaimlerChrysler has spent 15 years researching the use of natural fibers in auto parts and is already using natural fibers like flax, hemp, sisal, and coconut for vehicle interiors. In the 2004 three-door version of the Mercedes Benz A-Class, the automaker introduced natural fiber-based material on the standard underbody cover of the spare-wheel compartment. The material is a combination of polypropylene and abaca (a relative of the banana), which grows in the rain forests of the Philippines. Abaca has a high tensile strength and is resistant to rotting. On-the-road testing concluded the new material shrugs off denting from stones kicked up from the road and resists weathering from exposure to the elements and dampness. Energy costs for manufacturing from the material are 60 percent lower than when using petroleum-based materials.

Scientists at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom are working to create ways of transforming miscanthus, or "elephant grass," into a biodegradable plastic that can be used to produce hubcaps and dashboards. The crop, the stems of which can be fermented and distilled to produce ethanol, is currently burned in European power plants as a source of bio-energy. Capable of growing up to 12 feet without pesticides or fertilizer, miscanthus can produce up to eight tons of biomass per acre.

Mitsubishi Motors has developed a green plastic made from bamboo fiber that will be used for the interior of a new concept minicar to be launched in Japan in 2007. Mazda used green plastic for the interior, and the quarter panels of the RX-8 Hydrogen RE concept exhibited at the 2003 Tokyo Show.

Tread Green

Interiors and body components aren't all that can go green; tires may soon be changing colors too. Goodyear, in collaboration with Novamont, is replacing part of the lampblack and silica in tire mixtures with a bio-filler made from maize starch. This partially bio-tire reduces rolling resistance thus improving fuel economy while reducing noise and lowering carbon dioxide emissions during manufacturing.

In 2003, European regulations holding manufacturers financially responsible for the end-of-life disposal of their products were adopted, making plastics that biodegrade in a matter of months a very desirable commodity. American automakers have not been issued such a mandate. But landfills, where 75 percent of the 10- to 11-million vehicles disposed of each year in the U.S. wind up, are rapidly reaching capacity. A green solution, such as bio-plastic, could be the answer to keeping our landfills under control, while giving something positive back to the environment.